The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus and method for transferring heat, particularly to an apparatus and method for transferring heat from processors, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for transferring heat from high-speed processors in enclosures having a 1U form factor.
High-speed processors in small enclosures are becoming more and more prevalent in today's electronic applications, which invariably results in a demand for higher thermal dissipation in an increasingly smaller space. Traditional thermal designs have relied on the dissipation of heat from the top surface of an active processor through a heatsink that needs to be very tall relative to the enclosure in which it operates. More recent thermal designs have relied on a heat-pipe arrangement that transfers the heat away from the top side of an active processor to a location where a tall heatsink may be placed. Even more recent thermal designs have relied on fans, duct work, and shrouding to produce a wind tunnel effect that pulls cool air directly over a heatsink installed on top of an active processor. While existing thermal designs may be suitable for their intended purpose, there still remains a need in the electronic art for high efficiency cooling of high-speed processors in small enclosures, such as enclosures having a 1U form factor.